Radha & Sridama - Spiritual story

The Cursing of Sri Radha and Sridama

O sage, when She went to the pavilion of amorous pastimes Radha did not see Lord Hari. Seeing the river that Viraja had become, She went home.

Seeing that His eternal beloved had become a river, Sri Krsna loudly wept on the beautiful shore of that Viraja River.

"O best, best of lovers, come to Me! O beautiful one, beautiful one, how can I live without you?

"By My blessing now become the most beautiful of women, and the empress of rivers.

Now have a form more beautiful than the beautiful form you had. O chaste one, your previous form has now become a river."

"Raise from the water and come to Me."

Taking a new form, and beautiful like Radha, she approached Lord Hari.

Wearing yellow garments and her lotus face smiling, with crooked eyes she gazed at the Lord of Her life and He gazed at her.

She was oppressed by the burden of her hips and thighs, and her breasts were swollen and high.

She was the most beautiful of beautiful women, and She was fortunate and glorious among women. She was the colour of a beautiful campaka flower and her lips were ripe bimba fruits.

Her beautiful teeth were like ripe pomegranate seeds,, her face was an autumn moon, and her eyes were blossoming dark lotuses.

She was decorated with a dot of musk and many dots of red sindura. She was beautiful with beautiful designs and pictures. Her braided hair was very beautiful.

Jewel earrings resting on her cheeks, She was decorated with a necklace of jewels and glorious with a necklace of pearls. On the tip of her nose was an elephant pearl.

She was splendid with jewel armlets and bracelets and a bracelet of shells. She was opulent with many tinkling ornaments and tinkling jewel anklets.

Seeing her so beautiful and so full of love for Him, the Lord of the universes at once embraced her and kissed her again and again.

Going to a secluded place, the all powerful Lord again and again enjoyed many different kinds of amorous pastimes, beginning with viparitalila, with His beloved.

Accepting the Lord's invincible semen, passionate and fortunate Viraja at once became pregnant.

After a hundred celestial years of pregnancy, she gave birth to seven handsome sons from the Lord.

In this way the Lord's eternal beloved became the mother of seven sons. She was very happy with her seven sons.

One day, her heart filled with amorous desires, the saintly girl again enjoyed pastimes with Lord Hari in a secluded place in Vrndavana forest.

Then, frightened by his brothers, her youngest son came there and went to his mother's lap.

Seeing her son was afraid, she who was an ocean of kindness left Lord Hari and placed the boy on her lap. Then Krsna went to Radha's home.

When she had comforted the boy she noticed that her beloved was no longer there. Her heart filled with unsatisfied desires, she lamented greatly.

She angrily cursed her son: "You will become an ocean of saltwater. The living entities will never drink your water."

Then she cursed all the boys: "Those fools will go to the earth! Fools, go to beautiful Jambudvipa on the earth!

"They will not stay together in one place, but will stay each in his own place. They will stay happily around different islands.

"They may enjoy pastimes with the rivers on these islands."

In this way, because of his mother's curse, the youngest boy became an ocean of saltwater.

The youngest then told the other boys about their mother's curse. Unhappy, all the boys went to their mother.

After hearing their mother's words, they offered obeisances to her feet. Then, their necks bowed with devotion, they all went to the surface of the earth.

They became seven oceans around the seven islands. From the youngest to the eldest, each ocean was twice as large as the preceding one.

They became oceans of saltwater, sugarcane juice, wine, clarified butter, yoghurt, milk and sweet water. Their liquid will be used to cultivate grains on the earth.

In this way they became seven oceans around the seven islands of the earth. Unhappy in separation from their mother and brothers, all the boys wept.

Tormented by separation from her sons, chaste Viraja wept again and again. She fainted out of grief she felt for her sons and husband.

Understanding that she was drowning in an ocean of grief, Radha's master, His lotus face smiling, came to her again.

When she saw Lord Hari she stopped weeping and lamenting. Gazing at her beloved, she became plunged in an ocean of bliss.

Overcome with passion, she placed Lord Hari on her lap and enjoyed pastimes with Him. In this way, even though she had abandoned her sons, Lord Hari became pleased with her.

His eyes and face filled with happiness, He gave her a benediction: "Beloved, I will always come to you.

"Like Radha you will be dear to Me. By the power of My blessing you will always protect your sons."

Seeing Sri Krsna with Viraja as he spoke these words, Radha's friends told their mistress.

Hearing this, Radha lay down in the palace of anger and wept. Then Krsna entered that palace and approached Her.

Accompanied by Sridama, Krsna stood at Radha's door. When She who is the queen of the rasa dance saw Her beloved Lord Hari, She became angry and said:

O Lord Hari, You have many other lovers in Goloka. Go to them! Why do You need Me?

Even though Your dear lover Viraja, out of fear of Me, left her body and became a river, still You go to her!

Build a palace on her shore and stay with her. Stay with her. Go to her. She became a river. You became a river also.

Because they belong to the same class, it is glorious for one river to associate with another river. As they happily eat together and sleep together they feel great love for each other.

O crest jewel of divine persons, when they hear from Me that You are enjoying pastimes with a river, the great souls will smile.

They who say You are the master of the universes do not truly know Your heart. The Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul in the hearts of all, now desires to enjoy pastimes with a river!

After speaking these words, angry goddess Radha stopped. Surrounded by a hundred thousand gopis, She would not rise from Her bed.

Some gopis carried camaras in their hands, some carried fine garments, some carried betelnuts in their hands, and some carried flowergarlands in their hands.

Some carried cups of scented water in their hands, some carried lotus flowers in their hands, some carried red sindura in their hands, and some carried flower garlands in their hands.

Some carried jewel ornaments in their hands, some carried black kajjala, some carried flutes and vinas in their hands, and some carried combs in their hands.

Some carried aviras in their hands, some carried yantras in their hands, some carried scented oil in their hands, some most beautiful women carried karatalas in their hands, and some carried toy balls.

Some played mrdangas, murajas, flutes and karatalas, some expertly sang, and some expertly danced.

Some carried toys in their hands, some carried cups of honey in their hands, some carried cups of nectar in their hands, and some carried footstools in their hands.

Some carried garments and ornaments in their hands, some served Radha's feet, some stood before Her with folded hands, and some spoke prayers glorifying Her.

How many stood before Her? O sage, millions and millions stood outside.

As Krsna stood at the door, Radha's friends, who held sticks, would not allow Him to enter.

As the Lord of Her life stood before Her, Radha spoken to Him words that were inaccurate, not worthy to be spoken, improper, and very harsh.

O Krsna, O lover of Viraja, get away from Me! O Lord Hari, o restless debauchee, why do You trouble Me?

Go at once to Padmavati! Go to beautiful Ratnamala or Vanamala whose beauty has no equal!

O lover of a river, O master of the demigods, O guru of the demigods' guru, I know who You are. Auspiciousnss to You! Go! Go from My asrama!

Again and again You act like a human! Rake, enter a human womb! Leave Goloka and go to Bharatavarsa!

O Susila, Sasikala, Padmavati, Madhavi, stop this criminal! What need have we for Him?

After hearing Radha's words, the gopis spoke to Lord Hari words there were beneficial, truthful, gentle, sweet, and appropriate to that circumstance.

Some said: "O Lord Hari, for a moment go to another place. When Radha's anger subsides we will bring You here."

Some very affectionately said: "Go home for a moment. You make Radha blissful. Except for You, who can protect Her.

O sage, out of love for Radha some gopis said to Lord Hari: "For a moment go to Vrndavana forest until Her anger subsides."

Some joked to the Lord: "O passionate one, by devotedly serving Her You will appease the jealous anger of Your passionate beloved."

Some said the to Lord: "Go to another wife in the meantime, O Lord, we will bring the result You earnestly desire."

Some stood smiling before Lord Hari and said: "Go to Her and pacify Her jealous anger."

Some gopis spoke harshly to the Lord of their lives: "Who can see Radha's lotus face now?"

Some said to the allpowerful Lord: "O Lord Hari, go to another place, and when Her anger is over You may return."

Some beautiful and arrogant gopis said to Him: "IF You don't go to another's home, we will force You to go."

Some beautiful gopis then surrounded the smiling, peaceful, and cheerful Supreme Lord of all and prevented Him from entering.

Forced by the gopis, Lord Hari, who is the first cause of the world's causes, left and went to another's home. Then Sridama became angry.

His lotus eyes now red, Sridama angrily spoke to the supreme goddesss, Sri Radha, whose lotus eyes were also red with anger.

Sridama said: O mother, why do You speak these harsh words to m master? O goddess, You rebuke Him without any consideration and for no reason.

You mock the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of Brahma, Ananta, Siva and is the master of Sarasvati, Laksmi, Laya, Maya and Prakrti, who is beyond the modes of material nature, who is selfsatisfied, and whose desires are all fulfilled. Know that it is only because of Your service to Him and Your worship of His feet that You have become the best of goddesses and the queen of all. O beautiful one, You do not understand Him. How can I have the power to describe Him?

With a playful bend in His eyebrows He can create many millions of millions of goddesses like You. You do not understand Him, the Lord who is beyond the modes of material nature.

In Vaikuntha goddess Laksmi eternally serves Lord Hari with great devotion. She washes His lotus feet and dries them with her own hair.

With devotion Sarasvati always praises Him with beautiful prayers that are nectar for the ears. You do not understand Him, the great Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Frightened goddess Maya, who is the material energy and the personified life of all conditioned souls, always praises Him with devotion. O proud one, You do not understand Him.

Although they eternally offer prayers to Him, the Vedas cannot understand even one sixteenth of His glory. O beautiful one, You do not understand Him.

O goddess, with his four heads powerful Brahma, the father of the Vedas, glorifies Krsna. Brahma serves His lotus feet.

With this five heads, the guru of the yogis, offers prayers to Lord Krsna. His eyes filled with tears and the hairs of his body erect, he serves Lord Krsna's lotus feet.

With His thousand heads Ananta Sesa again and again offers prayers to Lord Krsna, the allpervading Supersoul. He devotedly serves Lord Krsna's lotus feet.

Dharma, who is the protector and witness of everyone and the master of the worlds, happily and devotedly serves Lord Krsna's feet always.

Allpowerful Lord Visnu, who resides in Svetadvipa and is His partial incarnation, meditates on Lord Krsna as the Supreme at every moment.

The demigods, demons, sages, kings, manus, humans and philosophers serve Him though they cannot see His lotus feet even in a dream.

At once abandon Your pride and worship the lotus feet of Lord Hari, who merely by the play of bending His eyebrow destroys the material creation.

Brahma's lifetime is an eyeblink for Lord Krsna. Twentyeight Indras live their lives in Brahma's day.

Brahma lives for years calculated in this way. O Radha, You and the gopis and everyone and everything are under my master's dominion.

Hearing Sridama's very harsh and forceful words, She became suddenly angry. She stood up and spoke to him.

Going outside, Her hair loosened, Her lotus eyes reds, and Her lips trembling, She harshly spoke to him.

Sri Radha said: Rogue! Fool! Servant of a rake! Listen. I don't know your master. You know everything about Him.

O lowest wretch in Vraja, Sri Krsna is your master and not Mine? You praise your father and rebuke your mother.

As the demons always insult the demigods, so you always insult Me! Therefore, O fool, become a demon!

Gopa, leave Goloka and go to a demoness' womb. Fool, now I have cursed you. Who can protect you?

Sridama quarrelled with Radha and She cursed him to become the demon Sankhacuda.

After thus cursing him, the queen of the rasa dance became silent. Then, with jeweled-handled camaras in their hands, Her friends served Her.

After hearing Her words, his lips trembling in anger, Sridama cursed Her: Go to the womb of a human woman!

You are angry like a human woman, therefore become a human woman on the earth! Mother, I have cursed You. Of this there is no doubt.

Sridama cursed Radha: Go to a human womb in Vraja! Become a girl of Vraja and walk on the earth's surface!

You will be eclipsed by a part of Your own shadow. The fools on the earth will say you are the wife of a petty king.

That petty king will be a partial incarnation of Lord Hari. He will be a great yogi born in a human womb because of Radha's curse on him.

In Gokula You will attain Lord Krsna. You will stay with Him in the forest there and enjoy pastimes with Him. You will be separated from Him for a hundred years and then You will attain Him, Your Lord, again and return with Him to Goloka.

After speaking these words and after bowing down before Radha, Sridama went to Lord Hari. Bowing down before Lord Krsna, Sridama narrated the story of the cursings.

Sridama wept as never before. As weeping Sridama was about to go to the earth, Lord Krsna said to him:

You will become the king of demons. In the three worlds no one will defeat you.

After fifty yugas Siva's spear will make you leave that body and with My blessings you will return to Me.

After hearing Lord Krsna's words, grieving Sridama said to Him: You will never transform me into a person that has no devotion for You.

Saying this Sridama left his own asrama. Then, weeping again and again, Radha came there.

Saintly Radha loudly lamented, "Child, where are you going?" Then Sridama became Sankhacuda, the husband of Tulasi.

When Sridama had left, Goddess Radha approached Lord Hari. She told Him everything and He spoke to Her.

Afraid of Sridama's curse, She went to Sri Krsna and said: I will become a gopi! Sridama cursed Me! What will I do to prevent it! O breaker of fears please tell me.

How can I live without You? O Lord, without You every moment will become a hundred yugas.

My heart bursts into flames when the blinking of My eyes separates Us. O Lord glorious as the autumn moon, using the cakora birds of My eyes I drink the nectar of Your face day and night. I declare that You are My heart, My self, My mind and My body.

You are My eyes and My power to see. You are My life. You are My treasure. Awake of asleep, I always meditate on Your lotus feet. O Lord, without serving You I cannot live for a moment.

Hearing these words, Lord Krsna placed His beautiful beloved on His chest. He reassured Her and removed Her fears. He said:

O girl with the beautiful face, during the Varahakalpa I will go to the earth. You will go with Me and also take birth on the earth. O goddess, I will go to Vraja and enjoy pastimes (with You) in the forest.

You are more dear to Me than life. If I am present why should You be afraid?

Saying this, Lord Hari, the master of the universes, became silent.

Lord Krsna told everything to His grieving beloved. Then, in the course of time, Sridama became Sankhacuda and then returned to the Lord.

In the Varahakalpa Radha went with Lord Hari to the earth. O sage, She attained a birth in Gokula in King Vrsabhanu's home.

For this reason the master of the universes went to Nanda's Gokula. Why should He be afraid? Of what would He, the killer of fears, be afraid?

Pretending to fear the illusory potency, He assumed the appearance of a gopa, approached Radha, and enjoyed pastimes with Her.

To keep the promise He made when the demigod Brahma prayed to Him, Lord Krsna came to earth with the gopis, removed the earth's burden and then returned to His own abode.

The Curse Of Radha:

हे कृष्ण बृजकान्त! गच्छ महत पुरतो हरे ।

कथं दुनोषिमानं- लोलं रति चौर अति लम्पट ॥५८॥

मोयाज्- ञोतो असि भद्र ते गच्छ गच्छ मोमाश्रामा- त ॥६०॥

शश्वते- मनुषयाणं च ब्यबहारस्य- लम्पट ।

लभतां मानुषी यौनि गोलोकाद ब्रज भरतम् ॥६१॥